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View Full Version : What's with Martial Arts Magazines these days?



Kymus
03-15-2004, 08:51 PM
The only Martial Arts mag I buy, is Kung Fu Tai Chi (which I have a 2 year subscription to, you just had to throw in that shirt, didn't you Gene?). It's seemd to me, that as far as Kung Fu and Martial Arts in-general mags go, there's next to no good material out there. These "Martial Arts" magazines, like Black Belt, which claim to cover the Martial Arts as a whole, seem to really only cover 95% karate, 4% Kung Fu, and 1% other. We'll take this month's mag of Classical Fighting Arts (see my other post). While it does have some good articles, all but 1 relate to Karate. Looking at their past covers, it seems that each one has a Karateka on it. I don't get it. Is it too hard to find decent material on these other arts? I would be thrilled if I could find a MMA (i'm more-so reffering to the word here, not the "Mixed Martial Art" "style(s)" magazine that doesn't fill it's pages with 90% Karate. I don't have anything against Karate, I really don't. I prefer Kung Fu, but I'd still read something on Karate. It's just annoying that so many magazines cater specifically to Karate and nothing else. Even if it were the other way around, I'd still find it odd that there is a majority in something that is supposed to be full of different arts. Does anyone else seem to have this problem/gripe? Or am I just crazy?

rogue
03-15-2004, 09:16 PM
CFA/DT is mostly a karate magazine, it's also my favorite. Try JAMA, it's pricey and isn't monthly but it articles are usually very good.

Black Belt is a marketing catalogue.

PHILBERT
03-15-2004, 09:42 PM
No, no, 95% Karate doesn't fit it. More like 60% Karate/TKD, 35% MMA, and 5% other. On occasion a good article appears, then I just read it and toss it back on the shelf.

Kymus
03-15-2004, 09:53 PM
Originally posted by rogue
CFA/DT is mostly a karate magazine, it's also my favorite. Try JAMA, it's pricey and isn't monthly but it articles are usually very good.

Black Belt is a marketing catalogue.

haha, I like how you put that, about Black Belt! With all my griping, I dind't mean anything bad about the mag (CFA), just the situation of things.. I'm starting to read another article in there too. They do seem to be well written. JAMA is great. How often is it published?

Kymus
03-15-2004, 09:57 PM
Originally posted by PHILBERT
No, no, 95% Karate doesn't fit it. More like 60% Karate/TKD, 35% MMA, and 5% other. On occasion a good article appears, then I just read it and toss it back on the shelf.

Ya, you're right. Majority of them, I just do that.

SevenStar
03-15-2004, 11:34 PM
It's a popularity contest. MMA, karate and TKD are quite popular - they are going to be filling most mags for now. Think back to the late 80's and early 90's... how often did you see articles on muay thai? it was rare. How often did you see bjj articles? They were practically nonexistant.

Kymus
03-15-2004, 11:45 PM
You have a good point there 7*, esp with the BJJ

norther practitioner
03-15-2004, 11:50 PM
Yeah, you have to look at the market. What percentage of martial artists do what. A huge % do jma and kma.... then you have your mma and bjj etc. We get a skewed sense here because such a high % of people on this forum and a few others have either done, do, or have seen a bunch of cma.

phantom
03-16-2004, 08:05 AM
Is JAMA still in publication? I have heard that it is no longer in existence. I tend to think that it is true, as I still see the issue with Yang-Jwing Ming on the cover on my newstand, and that came out probably at least two months ago.

dwid
03-16-2004, 08:12 AM
I believe it's a bi-monthly or quarterly journal. Sometimes newsstands take a while to get the new issue.

The Willow Sword
03-16-2004, 08:20 AM
which is awesome and GREAT!. Try the "Asian Journal of Martial arts". thats a good Mag as well.

Peace,,,TWS


oops PS. IS JAMA what i just recommended? duhhhh:confused:

Kymus
03-16-2004, 08:36 AM
TWS: sure is ;)

Dim Wit Mak
03-16-2004, 08:58 AM
This isn't just a martial arts magazine problem. I used to subscribe to several gun magazines, and have dropped all of my subscriptions except two because of the boring articles. When I read Black Belt, I look at it like panning for gold. I throw out all the rocks, and keep the nuggets. For me that is usually two or three articles.

When I was heavy into firearms, I found myself enjoying the gun forums more than the magazines, because a lot of knowledgeable people contributed. I like this forum because off the interesting insights. I don't get angry at the comments I consider "rocks". I just move on to the stuff I consider gold. Heck, some of my comments are probably considered rocks by a lot of people. It's fun to post and read.

I suppose someone could attempt to start a new martial arts publication and correct the faults that they perceive, but the amount of start up capital for such an endeaver must be tremendous.

GeneChing
03-16-2004, 11:00 AM
Print magazines are a dying breed nowadays. Mostly, it's the internet, but also the consolidation of bookstores into superstores made it harder for specialty magazines to thrive. All the magazines are doing whatever they can to stay on the newsstands. Beleive me, it's a lot harder than you might think. And many of the things that might be unsuccessful in your eyes, pay off in the newsstands.

As for BJJ and mixed martial arts, they are very young so there's not as much to write about them. Pretty soon, you become a personality mag and tournament reporting mag because frankly, there's not a lot of history. Mags like Fight Sport attempt to emulate the success of WWE, with marginal results. Why do you think WWE is more popular than MMA and BBJ NHB events? There is a question you have to answer before you get too overly critical of what's happening on the newsstands.

FWIW, we once did a Korean-based mag Dojang (http://store.martialartsmart.net/dojangmagazine07.html) - in just 8 issues, we started to run out of material. This is not to say that we exhausted it by any means, just that there weren't enough people submitting articles to sustain it as a quarterly. We did not want to become a tournament report magazine like Tae Kwon Do times, so we eventually fused it with our Japanese mag, Dojo (http://store.martialartsmart.net/dojomagazine07.html), into a mixed mag called World of Martial Arts (http://store.martialartsmart.net/wmamagazine07.html). Now it's just Kung Fu Tai Chi (http://www.kungfumagazine.com) because that's where our strength lies (and we'll never exhaust Chinese history). I have a lot of respect for the mags that offer different styles because it's so much to have to know about. Honestly, it's hard enough for me to keep track of CMA - it'd be too much work to have to keep track of all MA.

Dim Wit Mak
03-16-2004, 12:20 PM
Gene: Thank you for the insights you provided. Having actually had to deal with the problems of publishing, you have a perspective that one who hasn't been in the industry doesn't. Kung Fu Magazine definately provides it share of gold nuggents for me to read.

Kymus
03-16-2004, 01:15 PM
Originally posted by GeneChing
(and we'll never exhaust Chinese history).

That is so true Gene. With thousands of styles and China being basically the oldest still-living civilization, you really can't run out :-D. You have a good point when you talk about having to have a knowledge base with something like this. I guess to have a decent MMA mag you gotta have a lot of people from different backrounds huh? You guys do an amazing job with KFTC, I've loved it since I first saw it 4 years ago (or was it 5?). Keep it up man :)

phantom
03-16-2004, 02:08 PM
I second the thanks for your response, Mr. Ching. I really miss M.A. Training magazine. Always presented good ideas to help you with your training. To a somewhat lesser extent, I also miss Karate Illustrated and Inside karate magazine.

GeneChing
03-16-2004, 02:45 PM
...that wasn't the reaction I was expecting, but it's sure appreciated. We'll keep the nuggets coming. :cool:

Kymus
03-16-2004, 02:49 PM
How about every tells Gene how great and wonderful he, and KFTC are? Lets see how many shades of bright red we can make Gene turn!

GeneChing
03-17-2004, 11:35 AM
...but if you really want to be flattering - subscribe! (http://store.martialartsmart.net/19341.html)

Kymus
03-17-2004, 11:51 AM
Originally posted by GeneChing
...but if you really want to be flattering - subscribe! (http://store.martialartsmart.net/19341.html)

I already have a 2 year subscription and bought almost $300 worth in equipment in Oct. I think that makes me good for atleast a year :p :D

GeneChing
03-17-2004, 11:57 AM
You flatterer you. :cool:

Kymus
03-17-2004, 12:12 PM
Originally posted by GeneChing
You flatterer you. :cool:

I couldn't resist. 1 year I could afford, 2, well, I shouldn't of spent that extra money, but the "Got Qi?" shirt made me do it.

rogue
03-17-2004, 12:15 PM
(and we'll never exhaust Chinese history).
And if you do, we'll just make up some more.:p

GeneChing
03-17-2004, 03:24 PM
Indeed, we fight a two-front war here at Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine. Ain't no place I'd rather be. :p

norther practitioner
03-17-2004, 03:39 PM
two-front

Two front!?

Come on Gene.. admit it.. you were surrounded before you even realized you were starting.

GeneChing
03-18-2004, 10:29 AM
For a publisher, it's the only future and the past. The moment is too fleeting.

When you publish a mag, you become a little unstuck in time. For example, you all will be seeing our new issue on stands in a few weeks - it's scheduled to go on sale on 4/6/4, our subscribers (http://store.martialartsmart.net/19341.html) should go out this week or very early next week. Of course, we've already seen the advance at the office. This is the May June 2004 issue (and today is the day after St. Patrick's Day). We're currently working on our July Aug 2004 issue, which ahs been in production for almost four weeks already. And next week, assuming everything goes according to schedule, I'll begin advance work on our Sep Oct 2004 next week.

I'm not even sure where the moment is anymore. Not very Zen, I know... The real hardship of practice is the intrusion of the mundane.

Kymus
03-18-2004, 10:50 AM
Gene, someone needs to make you a little program where you just click a button and that will have the direct link for the product. Someone wants a <a href="http://store.martialartsmart.net/45-84wu.html">Monk spade</a>? no problem, just click monk spade and the link is given to you :D . If I ever get better at programming, I'll see if I can whip one up for the he|| of it. ;)

Ben Gash
03-18-2004, 11:43 AM
KFM is the ray of light in my CMA mag starved world. The magazines in England are pathetic, totally driven by advertising, and not wanting to know if someone doesn't have an advertisement with them. Some of the people they big up are complete jokes, but they bought a full page ad.
This isn't restricted to MA mags as this link shows
www.edromanguitars.com/rant/magazine.htm
but I think it's somewhat sad that this culture should thrive in a martial arts community :(

GeneChing
03-18-2004, 04:08 PM
kymus - how's that different then this (http://www.martialartsmart.com)? I'm mean call let's a spade (http://store.martialartsmart.net/45-84cs.html) a spade (http://store.martialartsmart.net/45-84wu.html)...;)

ben gash - Thanks for the kind words. I don't fault other mags for promoting their advertisers. We do it too. At least the advertisers give something back to the mag. We've promoted a lot of masters over the years and more often then not, the masters seem indignent about it. Maybe that's not the word. Controlling. They want they 'image' to be portrayed in a certain way, which often translates into "show me for the GOD that I am". It's amazing how many times we get stung by people that we try to do a little favor for, then they get all huffy because of some trivial detail. It gets tiresome. At least the advertisers put their money down.
Actually, that's one of the advantages of our mag - we don't rely on outside advertising, so we don't have to cater to that. We just promote who we like.

Serpent
03-18-2004, 04:26 PM
Gene - do you think print media has an actual lifespan now in the face of digital? Will there come a time when the print magazine is extinct?

Kymus
03-18-2004, 05:21 PM
Originally posted by GeneChing
kymus - how's that different then this (http://www.martialartsmart.com)? I'm mean call let's a spade (http://store.martialartsmart.net/45-84cs.html) a spade (http://store.martialartsmart.net/45-84wu.html)...;)


What I meant, was a program for you so that all you do is click the product on some little program that is running, and it pops up the link for you. It'd be a tiny bit easier than navigating through the site. It was an amusing stupid joke almost. lol, for me anyways ;)

GeneChing
03-19-2004, 10:52 AM
... only comic books have a vintage, so to speak, but other print magazines get very dated quickly. I don't think that print magazines will ever die out completely, but there has already been some dramatic shifts in the business. Mags like Reader's Digest and TV Guide, once kings of the hill, are plummeting. Celeb mags like People and Men's mags like FHM and Maxim are starting to dominate.

On our level - the martial world - it's getting really hard to keep a nitche on the newsstands. Most newsstands only have room for one martial arts magazine, but there are so many different tastes out there - each of us is trying to specialize in it's own market, in hopes that it will dominate. So we are simlutaneously getting wider and narrower, if you can envision that.

Of course, the net has had it's effect - obviously or we wouldn't even be having this dialog. That's really where the market is at now, but not so much for outside vendors, so the mags that rely on external ads aren't really engaging it. This may change over time. Right now, many advertisers and writers are hesitant about investing in the net, just because of old preconceptions. You cna't hold the net in your hand like a mag. But you can hold it in your palm or even on your phone, which makes it ultimately more powerful. In fact, our e-zine articles tend to get more exposure than our print ones over time.

Vash
03-19-2004, 11:24 AM
I for one hope that the prints don't go out of style. But, even if they do, I doubt it'll be before I'm dead and gone.

I like the shiny paper. You can't feel shiny paper on the internet. Legally, at least.

Ben Gash
03-20-2004, 02:02 AM
I can't read off my desktop in the bath (or the John for that matter) ;)

GeneChing
03-22-2004, 01:00 PM
...I'm glad our magazine keeps you regular.